Christmas cookies save St. Louis County woman's life

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. (KSDK) - Christmas cookies may have saved the life of a St. Louis County woman.

High winds caused a tree to crash into a home in the Woodlake Village neighborhood around 4:45 p.m. Thursday. The oak tree crushed the roof and a large branch smashed through a window where the homeowner had been sitting just moments before.

The woman told NewsChannel 5 she had just headed to the kitchen to bake some cookies when she heard a terrible sound from the back of the house.

Firefighters say the tree landed with such force it practically exploded and the damage is so extensive the homeowner won't be able go back inside until a structural engineer can take a look.

"We basically had to condemn the home," said Monarch Fire Protection District Captain Chris Overy. "It busted all the windows out; a lot of drywall came down off the ceiling. The damage is pretty bad."

By Thursday night workers were already boarding up the home to protect it from any further weather damage.

The homeowner has lived there since 1985 and neighbors she is the sweetest lady you could ever meet. One neighbor offered her home so the woman would have a safe place to stay.